Swansea City 4-1 Plymouth Argyle: Morgan Whittaker hat-trick helps Swans to EFL Cup win

Morgan Whittaker scored Swansea's first hat-trick since Scott Sinclair in the 2011 Championship play-off final

Morgan Whittaker scored a late second-half hat-trick as Swansea City overcame League One Plymouth Argyle to reach the third round of the EFL Cup.

Academy product Daniel Williams put the much-changed Swans in front after half an hour with a deflected 20-yard shot.

Plymouth hit back in the second half as substitute Rhys Shirley volleyed in.

Whittaker restored the Swans' lead with a fine low strike and scored a second after Jamal Lowe's superb run before adding a third with a neat finish.

The forward's goals were all scored in the final 11 minutes and made the score a rather flattering one for Swansea, who claimed a third win under new head coach Russell Martin and their second in four days, though this was a team showing seven changes from Friday's 1-0 Championship triumph at Bristol City.

Swansea missed a handful of chances before going ahead as 20-year-old Williams, making only his second appearance for the club, struck a low shot from the edge of the penalty area which took a deflection and squirmed under Plymouth goalkeeper Callum Burton.

Plymouth threatened on the break through Panutche Camara and Luke Jephcott - with the former having a shot well blocked by Ryan Bennett - and the visitors deservedly levelled when Shirley met Adam Randell's fine cross to score at the back post.

But then Whittaker took the game away from the visitors with a display of clinical finishing in the second half, shooting powerfully for his first, finishing confidently after Lowe's brilliant surge down the left wing and then dribbling skilfully and finding the bottom corner for his hat-trick.

Swansea head coach Russell Martin said:

"I am really pleased with the result and so much that we saw. We had a little spell for 15 minutes in the second half where we got a bit slow and sloppy, we did not take enough care and it led to their goal.

"So I was frustrated with that, and I still am, but the way the guys then wrestled back control was excellent.

"That's the beauty of having the ball and dominating the ball. The opposition get very tired towards the end, and it opened up."

Plymouth manager Ryan Lowe said:

"We pitted our wits against a very good Championship side who play the right way and, for 80 minutes, we were in it.

"We probably should have come in winners or losers on penalties but, when you've got the quality they've got, they're going to punish you and that's what happened.

"There was a bit of brilliance with those three goals, those moments of quality, and that's what cost us."

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